How much does clarity effect the price of a gemstone?
It does have a significant effect. Gemstone clarity relates to the amount of inclusions (trace elements or large particles of other elements or minerals) that a gem has. The less inclusions within the gemstone, usually the higher the quality and more expensive the stone is. For diamonds, the clarity grades are usually either: VVS: Very, Very Slightly Included VS: Very Slightly Included SI1, SI2: Slightly Included 1 and 2 I1, I2, I3: Imperfect 1, 2 and 3 Dcl: Declasse For colored gemstones, such as Amethyst, Emeralds, Sapphires, etc, the scale is a little different: Type I colored stones include stones with very little or no inclusions. They can include Aquamarine, Topaz and Zircon, among others. Type II colored stones include stones that often have a few inclusions. They include Corundum, Garnets and Spinel, among others. Type III colored stones include stones that usually always have inclusions. Stones in this category include Emeralds, Tourmaline, etc.
